This episode of DS9 had me in tears as I watched the drama unfold. It pulled all of the right strings to make this 46 year old man ball his eyes out!
As others have explained, the O'Brien's take the kids to the planet Golana for a bit of family time and a picnic. Molly, their 8 years old daughter, ends up wandering off and falling into an old ruin. It just happens that this ruin contains a time portal that has activated and she falls through it as the Chief is trying desperately to grab for her. The people from DS9 quickly respond to the emergency and work to find a way to get Molly back.
Well they succeed, however the Molly that returns to DS9 is now 18 years old and have been alone and with out human contact for 10 years. They try everything to help her adjust to her new life among people and her family. But unfortunately it doesn't work and the O'Brien's are forced to return Molly to Golana and back through the portal from where she was rescued. The grown Molly returns to the past and finds the 8 year old Molly alone and crying inside the cave where the portal is located. She send the child back through the portal to the O'Brien's, who are about to destroy the portal from their side, knowing that by doing so she was erasing herself and the past 10 years of her life. You know that she knew by the look in her eyes as she uttered the word "Home" as she faded away into nothingness. The O'Brien's have received there little girl back!
Just as a side note, the subplot with Worf and how he confronts parenthood was OK, as it provided several brief comedic moments.
As a parent myself, I could only imagine how I would feel if that happened to one of my children! And the overwhelming joy that they must have felt when she returned! Well needless to say, I was very moved by this episode when I viewed it for the first time recently. I had thought that I had seen all of the episodes already, but some how this one was missed. I am glad that I had the chance to watch it! It was well acted by Colm Meaney and Rosalind Chao, and Michelle Krusiec was fantastic as the older Molly! All I can say is WOW!
As others have explained, the O'Brien's take the kids to the planet Golana for a bit of family time and a picnic. Molly, their 8 years old daughter, ends up wandering off and falling into an old ruin. It just happens that this ruin contains a time portal that has activated and she falls through it as the Chief is trying desperately to grab for her. The people from DS9 quickly respond to the emergency and work to find a way to get Molly back.
Well they succeed, however the Molly that returns to DS9 is now 18 years old and have been alone and with out human contact for 10 years. They try everything to help her adjust to her new life among people and her family. But unfortunately it doesn't work and the O'Brien's are forced to return Molly to Golana and back through the portal from where she was rescued. The grown Molly returns to the past and finds the 8 year old Molly alone and crying inside the cave where the portal is located. She send the child back through the portal to the O'Brien's, who are about to destroy the portal from their side, knowing that by doing so she was erasing herself and the past 10 years of her life. You know that she knew by the look in her eyes as she uttered the word "Home" as she faded away into nothingness. The O'Brien's have received there little girl back!
Just as a side note, the subplot with Worf and how he confronts parenthood was OK, as it provided several brief comedic moments.
As a parent myself, I could only imagine how I would feel if that happened to one of my children! And the overwhelming joy that they must have felt when she returned! Well needless to say, I was very moved by this episode when I viewed it for the first time recently. I had thought that I had seen all of the episodes already, but some how this one was missed. I am glad that I had the chance to watch it! It was well acted by Colm Meaney and Rosalind Chao, and Michelle Krusiec was fantastic as the older Molly! All I can say is WOW!